A lot of NFL players are passionate about football. Furthermore, they’re highly paid to perform at their best whenever they’re on the field. Although they’re passionate, a handful of them also have other passions. Some play other kinds of sports. On the other hand, others go into acting. However, there are also some who are into music. For this piece, let’s take a look at 10 NFL players who are also musical artists.
Mike Reid
Mike Reid had a brief but respectable NFL career. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals for five seasons. He made two Pro Bowl appearances and garnered a pair of All-Pro selections. While Reid’s NFL career was relatively short, his career as a country singer was even more successful. Some of his notable singles include Walk On Faith, I Can’t Make You Love Me, and Till You Were Gone.
Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders was a busy man playing for both the NFL and the MLB. But despite the busy schedule, Sanders still found time to release a music album. In 1994, Sanders released Prime Time. Unfortunately, that album didn’t perform so well. 11 years later, Sanders released The Encore Remix. In other words, there are plenty of reasons Sanders is more known as an athlete.
Le’Veon Bell
Le’Veon Bell played for several teams in the NFL including the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was named to the All-Pro selection thrice and also made the Pro Bowl the same amount of times. But while Bell was a solid running back, he was also a passionate musician as early as 13 years old. Going by the name of Juice, the football player and rapper has released singles such as Target and My Side of Things.
Christine Michael
Winning a Super Bowl in your rookie season is an incredible feat. Christine Michael did just that while playing for the Seattle Seahawks at Super Bowl XLVIII. Michael would go on to have stopovers with the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and the Indianapolis Colts. However, before playing football, Michael confessed that rapping was his first love. As early as the sixth grade, Michael already explored his interest in music. In 2015, Michael made his debut by releasing Django: No Lies The Mixtape.
Ta’u Pupu’a
Ta’u Pupu’a was all set to play for the Cleveland Browns after the team drafted him with the 136th overall pick. But despite being handpicked by Coach Bill Belichick, Pupua would never step on the NFL field after suffering an arch foot injury at practice. While football closed its doors on him, this allowed Pupua to pursue his passion for music, particularly opera. With an interest in opera, Pupua attended Juilliard School. Now performing in Opera, Pupua has traveled around the world including Hawaii, Hong Kong, Italy, and many more to showcase his voice.
Arian Foster
Rapping seems to be a common interest among NFL players and Arian Foster is no exception. Foster has a decorated NFL career that saw him earn three All-Pro selections, four Pro Bowl appearances, and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns and rushing yards. Now retired, Foster kick-started his rapping career. In 2018, Foster released his debut album Flamingo & Koval. Three years later, Foster followed that up with Bohemia.
Antonio Brown
Aside from Arian Foster, Antonio Brown also started a rapping career after taking a break from football. Brown had seven pro Bowl appearances, five All-Pro selections, and won a Super Bowl championship. While he made an impact in the NFL, Brown is also making waves as a rapper. In fact, he released his own songs such as Pit Not the Palace and Whole Lotta Money. In 2022, he made his debut album called Paradigm.
Doug Flutie
After a stellar college football career, Doug Flutie went on to play in the NFL. He suited up for the New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers. His Hall of Fame-worthy career saw Flutie become a one-time Pro Bowler and NFL Comeback Player of the Year. While Flutie was talented on the field, he was also great as a musician. Flutie specialized in playing drums, having previously performed with The Flutie Brothers and a band called Boston.
Joe Barksdale
Joe Barksdale was a serviceable offensive tackle who played for several teams in the NFL in the span of eight seasons. Some of Barksdale’s stints included the Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers, and the Arizona Cardinals. After hanging up his football sneakers, Barksdale confessed to the public about his mental health struggles. Fortunately, despite the obstacles, he would go on to thrive as a musician. As of this writing, Barksdale has released six albums with the latest one being called Your Truly.
Melvin Ingram
Currently playing for the Miami Dolphins, Melvin Ingram has three Pro Bowl appearances to his name. While his prediction in the past to win the Super Bowl went for naught, Ingram can find solace in starting his music career. Under the name of King Mel, he released his debut album called King Talk. Some of his other songs include Reap What You Sow and Forever Thankful.
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